Balgarianovinite.com The 2026 Budget Bill of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was adopted on Tuesday at first reading by Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee with 15 votes in favour, 9 against and no abstentions.
The bill provides for revenues and transfers totalling EUR 5.256 billion for the year, with expenditures set at the same amount. Health insurance revenues are projected at EUR 5.138 billion, including EUR 3.187 billion from health insurance contributions and EUR 1.95 billion in transfers for health insurance.
The bill envisages an increase of EUR 249.2 million in revenues from health insurance contributions compared with the previous year, while revenues from health insurance transfers are projected to grow by EUR 156.2 million.
Expenditures under the bill are EUR 412.3 million higher than those under the 2025 NHIF Budget Act, representing an annual increase of 8.5%.
Health insurance payments are set at EUR 4.93 billion, up by EUR 395 million, or 8.7%, compared with last year.
In 2026, the Ministry of Health is expected to provide monthly transfers to the NHIF budget totalling EUR 101.49 million for the year to cover activities outside the scope of compulsory health insurance.
The bill has been drafted in line with the budgetary framework while maintaining the health insurance contribution rate at 8%. The sponsors say the draft provides for public funds to be spent lawfully, transparently and efficiently.
The bill was presented by Health Minister Katya Ivkova, who said it provides for an 8.5% increase in funding in 2026 compared with the previous year, while keeping the health insurance contribution rate at 8%. She said the main objective is to guarantee accessible, high-quality and timely medical and dental care, as well as stability in the healthcare system through increased funding for hospital care, medicines, outpatient care and prevention programmes.
Responding to criticism over the high share of funding allocated to hospital treatment, Ivkova stressed that the Health Ministry’s priority is to gradually strengthen prevention and outpatient care in line with global trends. Ivkova also highlighted the introduction of digital control through the eHealth system and artificial intelligence tools to limit abuse and ensure more efficient spending of public funds, as well as the active involvement of patients in oversight through electronic health services.
According to Fiscal Council member Lyubomir Datsov, the NHIF budget continues to grow in size, but the efficiency of the healthcare system is declining. He said a comprehensive structural reform is needed to improve efficiency and priorities in healthcare.
Dobrin Ivanov of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association said that increasing the healthcare budget alone does not guarantee better public health. In his words, the inefficient model is being preserved in 2026, with most funding continuing to go to hospital care and medicines instead of prevention. He described the separation of budgets for generic and reference medicines as a positive step, but stressed that bolder structural reforms are needed to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system.
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria President Plamen Dimitrov said the trade union supports the 2026 NHIF budget, despite having remarks about the functioning of the healthcare system. He stressed that healthcare reform is not lacking, but has been implemented with mistakes over the years and now needs to be improved rather than started from scratch.
On behalf of the GERB-UDF parliamentary group, Temenuzhka Petkova said the group would not support the 2026 NHIF budget. She argued that no funding had been earmarked for raising the pay of young doctors or for the development of eHealth. Petkova also requested clarity on the Government’s priorities in the sector, asking whether the Cabinet still supports the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, as she said the budget provides no funding for the project.
Martin Dimitrov of the Democratic Bulgaria parliamentary group raised questions about effective control over healthcare spending. He stressed that despite the increase in the budget and the reduction in out-of-pocket payments by patients, dissatisfaction with the system is growing. Dimitrov called for specific measures, including the mandatory introduction of tenders when hospitals use NHIF funds and greater patient involvement in control mechanisms.
Assen Vassilev of the Continue the Change parliamentary group said that despite the significant increase in healthcare funding in recent years, the quality of services for citizens has not improved sufficiently. He criticised the structure of the 2026 budget, saying that funding for medicines and hospital care is increasing much more than funding for prevention.
Dimo Drenchev of the Vazrazhdane parliamentary group said the 2026 budget does not show a clear direction for healthcare reforms and warned that the system should not postpone the necessary changes until future years. Budget Committee Approves 2026 NHIF Budget Bill at First Reading 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-07 14:55:53 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law